How do you get fit?

[michaels]

I've been researching different fitting options on where/how to get fit. I've found a few different categories...what are your pros/cons for each? Ultimately it comes down to you trusting your fitter, but what has your experience been?

First, there's there's the OEM fitters, with reps from Titleist, Callaway, Taylormade, doing demo days/fitting sessions, typically at local golf courses. These folks are going to have the latest and greatest equipment from the brands, but will be limited to their own stuff. In my experience the biggest question is the fitter. Yes, they're going to know the products very well, but they can oftentimes be young and not necessarily have a lot experience fitting and maybe not get you dialed in as someone with many more years of experience. I think this is going to depend on brand and who the regional reps are, but a possible negative. Also, they tend to focus fittings on a single club/category, where I'm personally looking to get a full bag...I can't really book into a single session.

Second, there's the "big box" fitting specialists like Cool Clubs or Club Champion. I've never been to one of these places before, but from what I've seen they are going to have the broadest selection of clubs/shaft, plus the latest technology to get you dialed in. My biggest question mark for these stores is who you get paired with to do the fitting. Again, I have no experience with these places, but I assume so much of the experience comes down to the fitter.

Third, similar to the one above, is the other "big box" stores like Golf Galaxy, Golfmart, etc....good selection, but your experience will be tied to who you get fit by, which is going to vary from store to store. Are these real fitting pros, or just store employees?

Lastly, there are the local specialty golf shops. These are the places that get to know you and probably have the best customer service (not always) bc they're trying to run a small business and are invested in you being successful and coming back. I think this group is the biggest wildcard. It's going to vary so much shop to shop on what their selection is and what technology they have to use. I think club pros kinda fall into this category as well...some are going to be better fitters than others and have a wide variety of options.

At the end of the day, you're going to need to trust who is fitting you and make sure that you're aligned on what your goals are. How have you decided on where to get fit and by whom?